Thermostatic valve.



No. 837,099. Q BATENTED NOV. 27, 1906. E. H. MURPHY.

THERMOSTATIG VALVE.

urmonmn FILED JULY 10. 1995.

1n: Ncmzls PETERS c0. WASHINGTON. 0. c4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed July 10, 1905- Serial No. 268,956.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HENRY MUR- PHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, county of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Thermostatic Valves; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to steamheating systems, and more particularly to thermostatic valves for automatically con trolling the communication between radiators and a return-pipe, so that the water of condensation and air may be removed from the radiators while the steam will-be prevented from entering the return-pipe.

It is desirable that the pressure in steam heating systems should be maintained below that of the atmosphere in order that the steam may be more quickly generated and circulated throughout the system at a low degree of pressure, thereby economizing in fuel consumption. This desirable result is accomplished in some systems by thermostatic valves or traps interposed between the outlet-couplings of the radiators and a return-pipe into which the air and water of condensation are automatically discharged and from which the air is exhausted by suitable mechanismsuch, for instance, as a vacuum-pump.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a thermostatic valve for a steamheating system such as that above referred to which will require no adjusting and which will remain open at all temperatures below a predetermined degree and will be closed at all temperatures above such predetermined degree.

A further object of my invention is to provide a thermostatic valve which will be simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and eflicient in operation.

The embodiment of my invention herein disclosed may be generally described as comprising a casing, a coupling for connecting the casing to the outlet from a radiator, a coupling for connecting the casing to a return-pipe, a valve-seat in said casing intermediate of said couplings, a valve cooperating with-said seat, a valve-stem connected to said valve, a U-shaped tube through the opposite ends of which the valve-stem loosely passes, an expansible fluid within said tube, means for retaining one end. of said tube in engagement with the valve, means for securing the other end of said tube to the casing, and a second valve controlling a by-pass around said valve-seat.

' My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view on line 1 1, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a horizontal sec.- tional view on line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Reference-letter A indicates a casing of any suitable size and shape. The casing is provided with a circular opening around which projects an interiorly-screw-threaded flange a.

A indicates a cap provided with an exteriorly-screw-threaded flange adapted to engage within the flange a, and thereby detachably secure the cap to the casing.

a indicates an eXteriorly-screw-threaded coupling projecting from the casing A around an opening through which the interior of the casing communicates with a radiator.

B indicates a coupling adapted to be secured to the outlet-opening from a radiator and to rest a ainst the end of the coupling a The coupling B is provided with a shoulder 1), projecting around the same.

1) indicates an interiorly-screw-threaded ring surrounding and engaging the coupling a and provided with an inturned flange bearing against the shoulder 5, thereby securing the coupling B to the coupling a a indicates an interiorly-screw-threaded coupling projecting from the casing A and adapted to be secured to a return-pipe of a steam-heating system.

a indicates a valve-seat formed integrally with the casing and interposed between the inlet-coupling a and the outlet-coupling a.

d indicates a valve adapted to cooperate with the valve-seat a and provided with a v thereby expanding the ling a valve-stem D. The upper end of the valvestemD extends within a tubular guide d, depending from the cap A.

C indicates an expansible member, preferably composed of a tube, within which is located a volatile fluid. The member C is preferably U-shaped and is provided at one end with a ring 0 loosely surrounding the valve-stem D adjacent the valve (1. A pin d extends through the valve-stem D and retains the ring 0 at all times in engagement with the valve. The upper end of the mem ber C is provided with a ring 0 through which the valve-stem loosely passes. The ring 0 is immovably secured to the casing in any suitable manner as, for instance, by a screwthreaded rod E, which extends through the casing and into a socket 0, formed in the ring c thereby retaining the ring against the lower end of the tubular guide d The casing A is provided with an extension A within which the expansible member C projects. Guideribs a are provided on the inner surfaces of the walls of the portion A of the casing, between which the expansible member extends.

a indicates a by-pass around the valveseat a.

f indicates a valve for controlling the bypass a. The stem F of the valve f projects to the exterior of the casing and is surrounded by a gland G in screw-threaded engagement with a socket 0?, formed integrally with the casing.

g indicates packing interposed between the casing and inner end of the gland. The outer end of the valve-stem f is preferably squared to permit the seating and unseating of the valve through the rotation thereof.

Any suitable volatile fluid may be inclosed within the tube 0, preferably, however, a fluid which will vaporize at 212 Fahrenheit, tube and causing the ends thereof to separate.

The 0 eration of my invention is as follows: When there is no steam in the system, the valve of is held away from the seat a by reason of the expansible member occupying its normal osition, such as shown in Fig. 1. The radiator is consequently in communication with the return-pipe, so that water of condensation and air pass through the coupinto the casing A, thence through the valve-seat a and coupling a to the returnpipe. When steam has been generated in the system, it flows from the radiator to the valve-casing A, where it volatilizes the fluid within the tube C, thereby causing the latter to expand. As the upper end of the tube C is immovably secured to the casing by means of the screw-threaded rod E, the lower end moves downwardly, thereby forcing the valve d against the valve-seat a, so that the flow of steam to the return-pipe is cut off. When the steam is discontinued in the system, the fluid within the tube C condenses, permitting From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved,

thermostatic valve which automatically controls the communication between a radiator and a return-pipe, so that water of condensation and air may be expelled from the radiator, while the escape of steam to the returnpipe will be prevented.

While I have shown and described the expansible member as consisting in a tube con taining a volatile fluid, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to such form of expansible member, as it is obvious that a metal spring or loop may be used so constructed as to open and close the valve at a predetermined degree of temperature.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing, of a valve-seat in said casing, a valve cooperating with said valve-seat, a valve-stem secured to said valve, a-tubular guide for said valve-stem, a substantially U-shaped expans'ble member through the ends of which said stem loosely passes, means for securing one end of said member to said valve-stem, and means for retaining the other end of said member against said tubular guide.

2. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing, of a valve-seat set in said casing, a valve cooperating with said valveseat, a valve-stem secured to said valve, a tubular guide for said valve-stem, a substantially U- haped tubular member containing an expansible fluid, means for securing one end of said member to the valve-stem, and means for retaining the other end of said member against said tubular guide.

3. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing, of a valve-seat in said casing, a valve co operating with said valve-seat, a valvestem secured to said valve, a U-shaped expansible member through the ends of which said stem loosely passes, means for securing one end of said member to said valve, means for securing the other end of said member to said casing, said casing having a by-pass around said valve-seat, and a second valve controlling said by-pass.

4. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing, of a valve-seat in said casing, a valve cooperating with said valve-seat, a valve stem secured to said valve, a U-shaped tubular member containing an expansible fluid through the ends of which said stem loosely passes, means for securing one too IIC

end of said member to said valve, means for securing the other end of said member to said casing, said casing having a by-pass around said valve-seat and a second valve controlling said by-pass.

5. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing of a valve-seat in said. casing, a valve cooperating with said valve-seat, a stem secured to said valve, a substantially U-shaped expansible member through the ends of which said stem loosely passes, a pin extending through said stem retaining one end of said member in engagement with said valve, a rod extending-through said easing into engagement with the other end of said member, said casing having a by-pass around said valve-seat and a second valve controlling said by-pass.

6. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing, of a removable cap for said casing, a valve-seat in said casing a valve cooperating with said valve-seat, a valvestem secured to said valve, a tubular guide for said. valve-stem carried by said cap, a substantially U-shaped expansible member through the ends of which said stem loosely I passes, means for retaining one end of said I member against said valve, and means for retaining the other end of said member against said tubular guide.

7. In a thermostatic valve, the combination with a casing, of a coupling adapted to 1 connect said casing with the radiator, an outlet-coupling adapted to connect said casing to a return-pipe, a valve-seat in said casing intermediate of said couplings, a valve cooperating with said valve-seat, a valve-stem se cured to said valve, a substantially U-shaped expansible member operatively connected to said valve for seating and unseating the same, said casing having a by-pass around said valve-seat, and a second valve controlling said by-pass.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD HENRY MURPHY.

l C. A. MULLEN. 

